Career and Education Opportunities for Interior Designers in Sacramento, California

Many educational and employment opportunities exist for interior designers in the Sacramento, California area. About 6,900 people are currently employed as interior designers in California. By 2016, this is expected to grow by 19% to 8,200 people employed. This is not quite as good as the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for interior designers are expected to grow by about 19.4%. Interior designers generally plan, design, and furnish interiors of residential, commercial, or industrial buildings.

Interior designers earn approximately $24 per hour or $50,280 annually on average in California. Nationally they average about $21 per hour or $44,950 annually. Interior designers earn less than people working in the category of Art and Design generally in California and less than people in the Art and Design category nationally. People working as interior designers can fill a number of jobs, such as: color expert, home designer, and interior design consultant.

The Sacramento area is home to forty-two schools of higher education, including eight within twenty-five miles of Sacramento where you can get a degree as an interior designer. Interior designers usually hold a Bachelor's degree, so you can expect to spend about four years training to become an interior designer if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Interior Designer

Interior Designer video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, interior designers plan, design, and furnish interiors of residential, commercial, or industrial buildings. They also formulate design which is practical, aesthetic, and conducive to intended purposes, such as raising productivity, selling merchandise, or improving life style.

Interior designers talk with clients to establish factors affecting planning interior environments, such as budget and function. They also advise clients on interior design factors such as space planning, layout and utilization of furnishings or equipment, and color coordination. Equally important, interior designers have to render layout concepts in form of paste-ups or drawings. They are often called upon to estimate material requirements and costs, and present layouts to clients for approval. They are expected to formulate environmental plans to be practical and conducive to intended purposes, such as raising productivity or selling products. Finally, interior designers use computer-aided drafting (CAD) and related software to produce construction documents.

Every day, interior designers are expected to be able to listen to and understand others in meetings. They need to be creative and generate new ideas. It is also important that they visualize how things come together and can be organized.

It is important for interior designers to formulate and layout interior environments for boats and other enclosed spaces. Somewhat less frequently, interior designers are also expected to direct other professionals, such as contractors and plumbers, to insure job success.

They also have to be able to inspect and detail shop drawings for construction plans And finally, they sometimes have to render layout concepts in form of paste-ups or drawings.

Like many other jobs, interior designers must be thorough and dependable and believe in innovation and creative thought.

Graphic Designer. Design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. May use a variety of mediums to achieve artistic or decorative effects.

Industrial Designer. Develop and design manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children's toys. Combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.

Multi-Media Artist or Animator. Create special effects, animation, or other visual images using film, video, or other electronic tools and media for use in products or creations, such as computer games, movies, and commercials.

Set and Exhibit Designer. Design special exhibits and movie, television, and theater sets. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Interior Designer Training

San Joaquin Delta College - Stockton, CA

San Joaquin Delta College, 5151 Pacific Ave, Stockton, CA 95207. San Joaquin Delta College is a large college located in Stockton, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 20,480 students. San Joaquin Delta College has a one to two year and a two to four year program in Interior Design which graduated two and zero students respectively in 2008.

Sacramento City College - Sacramento, CA

Sacramento City College, 3835 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95822-1386. Sacramento City College is a large college located in Sacramento, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 26,175 students. Sacramento City College has a less than one year and an associate's degree program in Interior Design which graduated one and one students respectively in 2008.

Charles A. Jones Skills and Business Education Center, 5451 Lemon Hill Ave, Sacramento, CA 95824-1529. Charles A. Jones Skills and Business Education Center is a small school located in Sacramento, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 3,429 students. Charles A. Jones Skills and Business Education Center has a less than one year program in Interior Design which graduated 153 students in 2008.

The Art Institute of California-Sacramento - Sacramento, CA

The Art Institute of California-Sacramento, 2850 Gateway Oaks Dr-Ste 100, Sacramento, CA 95833. The Art Institute of California-Sacramento is a small school located in Sacramento, California. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 134 students and an admission rate of 47%. The Art Institute of California-Sacramento has a bachelor's degree program in Interior Design.

International Academy of Design and Technology - Sacramento, CA

International Academy of Design and Technology, 2450 Del Paso Road-St 250, Sacramento, CA 95834. International Academy of Design and Technology is a small school located in Sacramento, California. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs and has 486 students. International Academy of Design and Technology has an associate's degree and a bachelor's degree program in Interior Design.

Kaplan College-Sacramento Campus - Sacramento, CA

Kaplan College-Sacramento Campus, 4330 Watt Ave., Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95821. Kaplan College-Sacramento Campus is a small college located in Sacramento, California. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs and has 552 students. Kaplan College-Sacramento Campus has an associate's degree program in Interior Design which graduated forty-three students in 2008.

American River College - Sacramento, CA

American River College, 4700 College Oak Dr, Sacramento, CA 95841-4286. American River College is a large college located in Sacramento, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 37,601 students. American River College has less than one year, one to two year, associate's degree, and two to four year programs in Interior Design which graduated twelve, seven, eighteen, and zero students respectively in 2008.

California State University-Sacramento - Sacramento, CA

California State University-Sacramento, 6000 J St, Sacramento, CA 95819-2694. California State University-Sacramento is a large university located in Sacramento, California. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 29,022 students and an admission rate of 67%. California State University-Sacramento has a bachelor's degree program in Interior Design which graduated one student in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified Lighting Management Consultant:
The lighting industry prides itself on distinguishing those persons who have accomplished this professional and personal achievement.

Certified Kitchen Designer:
CKDs specialize in the design, planning and execution of residential kitchens and bathrooms, and prove advanced knowledge of technical and personal communication skills required to succeed as a design specialist.

Certified Bath Designer:
CBDs specialize in the design, planning and execution of residential kitchens and bathrooms, and prove advanced knowledge of technical and personal communication skills required to succeed as a design specialist.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Sacramento, California

Sacramento, California photo by Urdangaray

Sacramento is located in Sacramento County, California. It has a population of over 463,794, which has grown by 13.9% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Sacramento, 93, is below the national average. New single-family homes in Sacramento are valued at $185,300 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, nine hundred thirty-four new homes were constructed in Sacramento, down from 1,337 the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Sacramento are health care, educational services, and public administration. For men, it is construction, public administration, and accommodation and food services. The average travel time to work is about 23 minutes. More than 23.9% of Sacramento residents have a bachelor's degree, which is lower than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 8.4%, is lower than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Sacramento is 14.7%, which is greater than California's average of 12.3%.

The percentage of Sacramento residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 36.9%, is less than both the national and state average. Pearly Gate Missionary Baptist Church, Peace Lutheran Church and Parkview Presbyterian Church are among the churches located in Sacramento. The most prominent religious groups are the Catholic Church, the LDS (Mormon) Church and the Assemblies of God.

Sacramento is home to the Southern Pacific Shops and the Bing Maloney Golf Course as well as Alkali Flat North Historic District and Silva Field. Shopping centers in the area include Farmers Center Shopping Center, Florin Square Shopping Center and Franklin and Florin Shopping Center. Visitors to Sacramento can choose from Best Western Sutter House, Best for Less Motel-Cababa Lodge and AAA Residence Inn for temporary stays in the area.